Convertible seat



June 2, 1925 1,540,657

, w. T. SHAW 1 CONVERTIBLE SEAT Filed May 24, 1924 Wyn I fifaza INVENTOR 1 BY w I ATTORNEV WITNESS:

Patented June 2., i925.

. UNITED STATES.

WILLIAM crnos. SHAW,

PATENT OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

1,540,657 OFFICE.

CONVERTIBLE SEAT.

Application filed May 24, 1924. Serial No. 715,202.

arranged in a horizontal position and in alignment with the front and back seats to form a bed, the invention having particular reference to a novel construction of means .5 for holding the back of the front seat in its normally elevated position, and permitting the said back to he quickly and conveniently released when its use is desired in the manner above stated.

The nature and advantages of the invention will be better understood when the following detailed description is read in connection with the accompanying drawing, the invention residing in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as claimed.

In the drawing forming part of this application, like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, and 30 wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through the body of the motor vehicle showing the back of the front seat in its lowered horizontal position, with a part of the upholstering on one side of the body broken away to show the position of the holding means for said back when it is in its normally elevated position.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view through a portion of the vehicle body showing how the back seat is held in its ver- 'tical position by means of the invention.

Figure is a fragmentary perspective view of the keeper attached to the said back.

Referring to the drawing in detail, A and ll'represent the front and back seats of the vehicle, while the back of the front seat is herein indicated .at 10. This back is hingedly supported as at 11 so that the back can be swung from its normal position to a horizontal position within the tonneau of the car, and supported in horizontal alignment with the front and back seats in the formation of a bed. Supported by the foot board of the back seat is a bracket 12 upon which the back reposes when swung to a horizontal position.

The present invention has particular reference to means for holding this back 10 in its normally vertical position, the means being so constructed that the back can be. quickly and conveniently released to permit .Oii its use in the manner above described,

and also designed to automatically engage the back and hold it in a vertical position when it is swung from a horizontal to a vertical position. This means is clearly illustrated in Figure'2 and consists of abracket 13 adapted to be boltedor otherwise suitably secured to a part of the vehicle'body at either side thereof. Pivoted' on this'bracket as at 1 1 is a locking lever 15 which is normally held in an active position by means of a coil spring 16 which is interposed between the free end of the lever and that portion 17 of the vehicle body to which the bracket 13 is secured. This mechanism is wholly arranged within the upholstering of the car as shown in Figure 2, and is thereby wholly concealed from View, with the exception of the working end 18 of the lever which is formed with a shoulder 19,'and a curved surface 20, which slightly projects through an opening 21 formed in the upholstering as shown. Arranged within the upholstering of the back 10 is what I term a keeper in the form of a curved bar 22, and one end i of this bar projects beyond the edge of the back and is arranged to enter the opening 21 above referred to and passed between the lever 15 and the portion 17 of the car body. The keeper is curved to permitthe working portion 23 thereof to lie parallel with the side of the car when the seat is swung to a vertical position, the keeper being formed with a shoulder 24 to be engaged by the shoulder 19 on the lever 15 as will be readily understood. -It will also be noted that the free extremity of the keeper is slightly bevelled as at 25 to allow this end to readily pass between the lever 15 and the portion 17 of the body when the seat is swung to its normal position, during which operation, the lever 15 and the keeper become automatically associated, andthus firmly hold the back of the seat elevated. When it is desired to lower the back for the purpose above mentioned, it is only necessary to strike the side of the upholstering in which the lever 15 is arranged, in order to move the portion 18 of the lever away-from the adjacent end of the keeper; thus releasingi thqfbaek *ofrthe seat so that it can *be subseqiient'lysivnngto a horizontal position. It might-here be Shiele b ody at one side 'of saidfbody .and imrhediat'ely above the seat, said bracket in eluding an offset terminal portion spaced stated that the spring 16,' is of sulflieient irom the side ofthebody, a horizontally strength to prevent the back of the seat from being released by casual jars or-rpressure against that side of the upholstering in which the lever is arranged'-, and tliat it"'req1ii'r'es"- considerable pressure or force in order to compress the spring '16 to'efleet the release of the back 10.

(While? it 1 is believed that from the forego- "ing description; the" nature and advantages "-"Having thus 'describedthe "invention; I

claim:

scope of ifvhat is-claimed.

' vehicle bodyfincliiding a"seat"l1 ge a: hingedly; mounted back, a bracket Wholly ai ra'nged Within the ilpholstering of the .ve-

disposed locking lever pivoted on said offset portion; a curved bar having its major portion arranged Within the upholstery of said back, ahd -havin one extremity projecting from the side thereof and adapted to be re ceived by the spaceibetween theside ofthe body. and'the offset portion of saidbracket wvlierithe said baelr is swung to vertical position,""said extremity being designed to of the"inizention will be readily apparen I be ei'igagedvby the adjacentendof' said lever, 'rdesire to have -it Understood that I :dofl'not limit mys'eli to What is herein "shown and described; and that'siioh'changes' may be "resorted-to ivhen desired 'asfall within the whereby the latter holds the back' in a. 'vertical position, resilient means for holding the lever" in its active position, and said bracket being Fca'pable of longitudinal ad- 'jiist nent' along said side .upon. Which it is I mounted; whereby said lever can be a d usted to compensate for lost'motion or play of said back. I y

" In testimony whereof I'afliX myjsignature.

WM. THOS. SHAW. 

